Rotary stapling apparatus



Aug 30, 1966 R. FISCHER 3,269,629

ROTARY STAPLING APPARATUS FiledMay 27, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENToRfaam/r HSC/ase BY /fu/l/a.

ATTORNEY Aug. 30, 1966 R. FISCHER 3,259,629

ROTARY STAPLING APPARATUS Filed May 27, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR/PaoaLFF/sc//E ev hppa* ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,269,629 ROTARYSTAPLING APPARATUS Rudolf Fischer, Ludwigshafen-Oggersheim, Germany,assignor to Schnellpressenfahrik Frankenthal Albert & Cie,Aktiengesellschaft, Postfach, Germany Filed May 27, 1965, Ser. No.459,315 8 Claims. (Cl. 227-81) 'Ihis application is acontinuation-in-part of application Serial No. 308,792, filed September13, 1963, entitled, Stapling Apparatus, now abandoned.

The present invention relates to improvements in rotary staplingapparatus of the type -used in the folding mechanism of rotary printingpresses and the like devices.

Staplingapparatus of this type normally comprises a rotating staplingcylinder having a peripheral staplecarrying or stapling die which servesto hold and convey a pre-formed staple lfrom a staple-forming positionto a staple-clinching position adjacent to a die cylinders having aperipheral die and rotating synchronously with said stapling cylinderabout an axis parallel to the axis of the latter and in a directionopposite to the rotating direction of said stapling cylinder. Thestapling and clinching dies are so positioned upon their respectivecylinders that at the time when the staple coincides with the clinchingdie of the die cylinder, that is, during the short period of registry ofthe stapling and clinching dies relative to one another, the staples maybe driven or propelled outwardly through the web of sheets or layers to'be stapled by a spring-loaded staple-driving plunger slidably mountedupon the stapling cylinder and forming the bottom of the stapling diethereof7 in such a manner as to cause the legs of the U-shaped staplesto penetrate the sheets of said web and to be reversely bent or clinchedby said clinching die, to elect a stapling operation.

In stapling apparatus of the foregoing type, a single pair of staplingand die cylinders, or equivalent rotating members, may be provided witha plurality of angularly spaced stapling plungers cooperating with pairsof stapling and clinching dies of said cylinders, or a number ofcooperating Vpairs of stapling and die cylinders iitted with their ownstapling plungers and actuating means may be mounted upon a common driveshaft for the simultaneous production of an array of staplingconnections across the web of material (paper, plastic, etc.) to bestapled.

In order to intermittently propel the stapling plunger it is customaryto provide ya compression spring urging the plunger in the outward orstaple-driving direction. The plunger is retained in a normal orstarting position against the action of said spring by a lever engaginga pin or the like abutment upon the plunger, said lever being operablyconnected with a cam follower which engages a fixed or stationarycontrol cam or eccentric. The latter has Ia cam section or surfaceshaped to cause the plunger to be released and propelled intermittentlyduring the periods of registry of the stapling and clinching dies of thecylinders, in such a manner as to eifect stapling of the web of sheetsor layers being continuously passed between the cylinders.

Y In .the operation of printing presses and the like, the thickness ofthe webs of superposed stitched or sheets to :be stitched or stapledvaries considerably. In the case of stapling lapparatus wherein thestapling and die cylinders are driven through ordinary spur gears or-the like` driving means, it is possible .to operate the cylinders at afixed spacing distance only desi-gned to accommodate the maximum webthickness to be dealt with. With arrangements of this type, the plungerdesigned for an operating stroke conforming with said maximum thicknessdoes not completely close or clinch the staples in the case where thestaples are used to stitch relatively thinner webs, or webs having athickness less than the maximum 3,269,629 Patented August 30,` 1966 ICCfor which the stapler has been designed. As a consequence, the sheets orlayers will be loosely bound, or the staples incompletely closedv or xedin position.

Various attempts have been made in the past to eliminate .the foregoingdefect and diiculty by so designing the stapling apparat-us that thespacing distance between the stapling and die cylinders may be adjustedin accordance with the web thickness. In other words, the previoussolutions involve the bodily displacement of the stapling cylinder andattached actuating mechanism towards and away from the die cylinder.

As an example, it has been proposed to space the driving gear of thestapling cylinder from said cylinder and to rotatively support itseparately by a driving shaft mounted upon the frame of the stapler, theconnection with the stapling cylinder being effected through a yieldingcoupling adapted .to compensate for the displacement of the center rofthe stapling cylinder relatively to the center of said driving shaft.Mechanism of -this type is both complex mechanically as well asexpensive and lacking the necessary accuracy Iof adjustment, aside fromother related draw-backs and defects well understood.

Accordingly, a major object of the present invention isv the provisionof relatively simple and efficient means to overcome the foregoing andrelated diiculties and defects of prior art stapling apparatus of thereferred to type, to enable the stapling of webs of varying thicknessreadily and eiciently and over a relatively large thickness range.

The invention, both as to the fore-going and ancillary objects as wellas novel aspects thereof, will be better understood from the followingdetailed description of a preferred practical embodiment, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings forming part of lthis Fspecification and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view, shown partly in section and partly in elevation,of rotary stapling apparatus constructed in accordance with theprinciples of the invention; f

FIG. 2 is an axial sectional view through the stapling cylinder formingpart of FIG. l; Y 1 1,

FIG. 3 is a partial View of the control eccentric of FIG. 2 andadjusting device t-o adapt the stapler to varying web thicknesses; and

FIG. 4 is a theoretical diagram and FIG. 5 an enlarged partial View ofthe control eccentric, respectively, explanatory of the function andoperation of the invention.

Like reference numerals denote like parts in the different views of thedrawings.

With the foregoing object in view, the invention involves generally theprovision of means for adjusting the angular operating position of thestapling plunger control eccentric being coaxial with the staplingcylinder or equivalent rotary stapling member or, in other words, tovary the relative time phase between the plunger operating stroke orcycle and the central registry time position of the stapling andiclinching dies of the stapling and clinching cylinders or members,respectively. More particularly, if the control eccentric is set orangularly adjusted, by the aid of suitable control mechanism fittedladvantageously with an indicating scale, to a position where theinstant of maxim-um excursion of the stapling plunger coincides withlthe central registry position of the stapling and clinching dies, theplunger will be effective during its full operating stroke in causingthe staples to penetrate the web of material to be stapled, whereby thisposition will be sui-ted for the stapling of webs of relatively smallthickness by eifecting bending of a maximum portion of the legs of thestaples.

adjusted to a position where the plunger reaches a fraction only of itsmaximum stroke `or excursion during the registry position of the dies,it will be eiiective during a fraction only of its operating stroke incausing the staples to penetrate the web, whereby this position will besuitable for the stapling yof webs of relatively greater thickness. As aconsequence, a control of the relative time phase between the plungeroperating cycle, on the one hand, and the central registry position ofthe stapling and clinching dies, on the other hand, will enable theeicient stapling of webs of varying thickness within a predeterminedthickness range, as will become m-ore apparent as the descriptionproceeds in reference to the drawings.

Referring more particularly to FIG. l, the stapling apparatus showncomprises a rotating stapling cylinder or member having a peripheralstapling die 11, a die cylinder or member 12 having a peripheralstaple-clinching die 13 and rotating in a direction (arrow b) oppositeto and at the same speed as the stapling cylinder 10 (arrow a), the axesof the cylinders or members 10 and 12 being parallel to and spaced fromone another by a iixed distance determined by the maximum thickness ofthe web 14 being comprised of a plurality of superposed sheets or layersto be stapled and passed between the members 10 and 12 in the directionas indicated by the arrow c in the drawing. The stapling member 10 isiitted with at least one (two being shown in the drawing) slidablestaple-driving plunger 15 having a stapling head 16 the outer surface ofwhich forms the bottom of the staple holding die 11, in a manner wellknown to those skilled in the art and further shown in FIG. 2, Theoperation of the pre-forming of the staples in the stapling die 11 beingalso well known is not shown or described as being unnecessary for theunderstanding of the Iimprovement according to the invention.

As will be seen, by using stapling and die cylinders 10` and 12 of equaldiameter, the dies 11 and 13 upon reaching the registry position, FIG.1, will be relatively stationary during a predetermined (registry)period, as a result of the equal peripheral speeds of the cylinders. Itis during this registry period of the dies that the plunger 15 ispropelled outwardly by the actuating mechanism, to drive the legs of theU-shaped staples through the web 14 and to bend and firmly clinch thesame about the material by the die 13.

In order to intermittently propel the stapling plunger 15 in synchronismwith the members 10 and 12, or registry periods yof the dies 11 and 13,respectively, there is provided actuating mechanism comprising acompression spring 17 mounted in the member 10, to normally urge saidplunger in the outward or staple-driving direction, and linkagemechanism in the form, in the example shown, of an angular lever havinga first lever arm 19, pivoted by spindle 20 upon member 10 and arrangedto engage a stop or abutment upon the plunger, as described in greaterdetail hereafter, and a second lever arm 21 also secured to said spindleand carrying a cam follower or roller 22 engaging a normally stationarycontrol eccentric 25 (see also FIG. 2) being coaxial with the staplingcylinder 10 and serving as reaction means to maintain the plunger 15 inforce-transmitting engagement with the lever arm 19 by the action of thespring 17. The eccentric 25, FIG. 5 having a constant diameter over themajor part lof its periphery is formed with a partial peripheral camsection 25 decreasing gradually from a point A, to a point B andincreasing again to the point C upon said constant diameter. While thedescending portion of the curve 25 is shown equal to the ascendingportion in the drawing, the latter portion may extend over a greaterangular range, to return the plunger to the starting position upon thecompletion of a stapledriving operation. As a consequence, the plunger15 is intermittently released by the lever arm 19 and propelled in thestaple-driving position by the spring 17 during the periods of registryof the dies 11 and 13, to eiect stapling of the web in the mannerpointed out.

As pointed out, in the example illustrated the stapling member 10mounted upon a drive shaft 26 is fitted with a pair of opposed staplingplungers and identical actuating mechanism therefor, correspondingplungers and actuating elements being denoted by like reference numeralsin the drawings. In the following only one of the plungers andassociated actuating mechanism will be described, it being furthermoreunderstood that in FIG. 2 the upper part of the figure shows one of theplungers, while the lower part of the igure shows the actuatingmechanism for the other plunger.

Referring more particularly to the plunger actuating mechanism, a stubshaft 27, FIG. 2, extends outwardly from the cylinder or the member 10coaxial or in line with the drive shaft 26 of said member. Member 10 hasa radial recess 28 in which -is mounted a bush 30, while bushes 31 and32 are in turn mounted in the bush 30, to serve as guides for theplunger 15 slidably mounted in said member.

The compression spring 17 urging the plunger 15 in the outward directionis mounted within a bore 33, FIG. 1, extending from the bottom of therecess 28. The stapling die in which the staples are carried or conveyedfrom the staple-forming position to the staple-driving position of themember 10 is provided with a lateral guide bush, FIG. 2, While the head16 of the plunger forms the bottom of the die cavity in which thecross-member of the U-shaped staples is embedded, in a manner customarywith Staplers of this type. As is understood, the forming and insertionof the staples in the die 11 may be effected by conventional means notshown as being irnmaterial for the understanding of the presentinvention which is specically concerned with the staple-driving oroperating mechanism for the stapling of webs of varying thickness.

A guide block 33 is mounted on a pin 34 disposed in a radial recess ofthe plunger 15, said pin being Ain turn mounted upon the plunger on the`right and the left of said recess. The cylinder or member 10 has afurther recess 36 extending laterally from the recess 28 and providing apair of mounting brackets 37 in which are arranged bearings 38 torotatively support the pin or spindle 20 serving as pivot for theangular or bellcrank lever 19, 21. Spindle 20 is axially secured by apair of washers 41 and circlips or retaining rings 42. The lever arm 19extends outwardly through the recess 36 and operably engages the plunger15 within its recess 35, on the one hand, and the upper face of theguide block 33', on the `other hand.

Clamped upon the outer square end 43 of the spindle 20 is the lever arm21 in the fork-shaped end of which is mounted a pin 44 on which isjournalled the cam follower or roller 22 engaging the normallystationary control eccentric 25. The pin 44 is axially maintained inposition by a circlip or retaining ring 45.

In FIG. 2, the roller 22 is shown swung outwardly or away from thespindle 20 for better illustration. As is understood, the roller isnormally in engagement with the eccentric 25, as shown in FIG. 1.Furthermore, while a single stapling plunger and actuating mechanism hasbeen described in the foregoing, it is understood that in case ofmultiple members 10 being provided upon a common drive shaft or in caseof multiple plungers ass-ociated with a single member 10, theconstruct-ion of the plungers and associated operating mechanisms willbe identical to those shown and described in the foregoing.

The stub shaft 27 of the stapling cylinder or member 10 is journalled ina roller bearing 46 the inner race 47 and disk 48 of which is secured bya screw 50 to the pin 27. The outer race of bearing 46 is in turnsecured in a casing 51 by a threaded disk 52, said casing beingrotatively mounted upon the frame 53 of the stapler and prevented fromaxial displacement by retaining ring 54.

The control eccentric 25 is mounted upon a rotatable bearing casing 51.For adjusting the angular position of the eccentric relative to thecylinders or equivalent members and 1.2, in accordance with theimprovement of the present invention, the entire bearing casing 51 isturned or rotated in the example shown by the drawing. For this purpose,a threaded bush 56 is firmly secured in the frame 53 and a guide bolt 57is journalled on said bush. A set or lead screw 58, having its threadedend engaging a nut rotatively mounted upon the casing 51 is in turnjournalled in the guide bolt 57 and prevented from axial displacement byits outer head on the one hand and a retaining or setting ring 60 on theother hand. The head of guide bolt 57 is formed as a clamp which may betightened and loosened by the aid of a screw 61 in order to lock andrelease the setting device. For checking the degree of angulardisplacement of the eccentric and, in turn, the web thickness to bestapled, the frame 53 carries a scale 62 and the rotatable bearingcasing 51 is fitted with a pointer 63 cooperating with said scale, thelatter being advantageously directly calibrated in units of webthickness to be stapled.

While a specic adjusting mechanism of the eccentric 25 has been shownfor illustration, it is understood that alternative or equivalentactuating or setting means, to vary the angular operating position ofthe eccentric will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in theart.

In operation, the head 16 of the plunger 15 projects beyond the die 11when the roller 22 engages the lowermost point B of the cam surface 25',as shown by the full line position of the roller in FIG. 5. As aconsequence, if the cam 25 is adjusted to an angular position wherebythe roller '22 assumes' its lowermost position, FIG. 5, coincident withthe central registry position R of the dies 11 and 13, or midway withinthe registry period r of the dies, FIG. 4, the staples will be propelledto the full operating stroke of the plunger, in such a manner as toallow of a maximum portion of the legs of the staples to be bent andclinched by the die 13. In this position, therefore, of the eccentric25, the stapler is suited for the binding of relatively thin webs ofsheets, as will be understood. On the other hand, if the eccentric 25 isrotated, by loosening the set screw 61 and turning the screw 58, say toa point where the roller 22 engages an intermediate point of the curve25 coincident with the central registry position R of the dies 11 and13, as shown in dotted line in FIG. 5, the staples will be driven orpropelled by the plungers to a lesser extent, that is, to a fractiononly of the operating stroke of the plunger, whereby in this position ofthe eccentric the stapler is suited for the binding or stitching of websof increased thickness.

This function and operation according to the invention will be furtherunderstood by reference to the diagram, FIG. 4, wherein the abscissa trepresents time and the ordinate D represents the displacement of theplunger 15 by the cam surface 25 from its zero or rest position in theoutward (operating) and inward (return) directions, as indicated by thecurve p in the drawing. If the central registry or time position Rcoincides with the maximum excursion of the curve p as shown by the fullline in the drawing, the staples will be propelled and driven throughthe web to the full extent of the operating stroke of the plunger 15, asindicated at d1 in FIG. 4. As a consequence, this position is adjustedon the device set for the stapling of relatively thin webs, as pointedout. On the other hand, if the eccentric 25 is adjusted such as todisplace the time phase of the curve p to a position p shown by thedotted line in the drawing, the staples at the central registry positionR will be propelled or driven to a fractional distance dz only of thefull operating stroke of the plunger 15. As a consequence, this positionof the eccentric is suited for the stapling of webs of greaterthickness, in the manner pointed out herein above.

In other words, the cam surface 25 is so designed that the pressure bythe head 16 is a maximum in the central registry position of the dies 11and 13. Even if the head 16 protrudes, in the case of relatively thickwebs 14, somewhat beyond the cylinder or member 10, no greater pressurewill be applied tothe web, since the surfaces of both cylinders ormembers start to recede from one another. As a consequence, it ispossible to provide the required stapling pressure for the varying webthicknesses by the proper angular position or adjustment of theeccentric 25, in the manner described. As is understood, the staples arepositioned in the die 11 with their legs pointing in the outwarddirection and with their cross portions engaging the outer end of thehead 16.

It is thus possible by the use of the present invention, by adjustingthe eccentric 25 in the manner described, that is, with the roller 22,in the central registry position of the cylinders of dies 11 and 13,engaging any of the intermediate points of the cam section A-B or curve25', to staple webs of varying thickness eiciently and with the staplesclosely binding or stitching the sheets or layers of the webs, wherebyto greatly enlarge the scope and usefulness of stapling apparatus of thetype according to the invention. Advantageously, the scale 63, FIG. 3,is directly calibrated in suitable units of material thickness, tofacilitate the adjustment and operation of the stapler.

In the foregoing the invention has been described in reference to aspecic illustrative device. It will be evident, however, that variationsand modifications, as well as the substitution of equivalent parts orelements for those shown herein for illustration, may be made inaccordance with the broader scope and spirit of the invention as setforth in the appended claims. The speciiication and drawings areaccordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than in arestrictive sense.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for the stapling of webs of varying thickness comprising incombination:

- (1) a rotary stapling member having a peripheral staple-carrying die,

(2) a rotary die member having a .peripheral stapleclinching die androtating in a direction opposite to and about an axis spaced =by a xeddistance from and parallel to the axis 'of said stapling member,

(3) the web t-o be stapled passing between said members, p

(4) a staple-driving plunger slidably mounted upon said stapling memberwith its outer end surface forming the bottom of said staple carryingdie, and

(5) operating means to intermittently propel said plunge-r during theperiods of registry of said staplecarrying and staple-clinching diescomprising:

(a) a compression spring upon said stapling member t-o urge said plungerin the outward stapledriving direction,

(b) motion-transmitting mechanism upon said stapling membe-r including ai'irst lever arm engaging said plunger and a second lever armterminating in a ca-m follower,

(c) a normally stationary control eccentric coaxial with said staplingmember and engaged by said follower,

(d) said eccentric having a 'section of constant radius, to normallyrestrain said plunger from movement by Isaid spring, an-d a rst camsection having a radius changing gradually `from said constant radius toa second radius and followed Iby a second ca-m section changing fromsaid second to 'said constant radius, and said follower beingstructurally lrelated to said first cam section, to release the same andto thereby gradually propel, during engagement of said -follower by saidrst cam section, said plunger by said spring in the staple-drivingdirection to a predetermined position .beyond the periphery of said`stapling member, and to return said plunger against the action of `saidspring during engagement of said follower with said second cam section,and

(e) means to adjust the angular position of said eccentric within afixed operating range corresponding t the length of said iirst camsection, thereby to cause varying instantaneous plunger positions duringits forward movement to coincide with the central registry position ofsaid staple-driving and staple-clinching dies.

2. In stapling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said eccentric having aconfiguration comprising, in the order named, a rst concentric sectionhaving a first radius, a second section having a `radius decreasinggradually from said rst radius to a `predetermined second radius, and athird section having a radius gradually increasing from` said second tosaid first radius.

3. In stapling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, having a stationaryframe, cooperating scale and index means carried by said eccentric andsaid frame, respectively, to indicate the angular adjusting position ofsaid eccentric.

4. In stapling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, having a stationaryrframe, said eccentric being rotatively mounted upon a shaft axiallyextending from said stapling me-mber, and said adjusting means beingcomprised of a lead screw having a threaded end portion engaging a nutrotatively mounted upon said eccentric and having its opposite endjournalled in a support rotatively mounted upon said frame, and means toreleasably lock said screw to said support.

5. Apparatus for the stapling of webs of varying thickness comprising incombination:

(1) a rotary stapling member having a peripheral staple-carrying die,

(2) a rotary die member having a peripheral stapleclinching die androtating in a direction opposite to and about an axis spaced `by a fixeddistance from and parallel to the axis of said stapling member;

' (3) the web to be stapled passing between said members,

(4) a staple-driving plunger slidably mounted upon said stapling memberwith its outer surface forming the bottom of said staple-carrying die,and

(5) operating means to intermittently propel said plunger during theperiods of registry of said staplecarrying and staple-clinching diescomprising:

(a) a compression spring upon said stapling member to urge said plungerin the outward staple driving direction,

(b) an abutment pin upon said plunger,

(c) an angular lever pivoted upon said stapling member and having afirst arm camming with said pin and a .second arm carrying a roller,

(d) a normally stationary control eccentric coaxial with said stapling-member and engaged by said roller,

(e) said eccentric having a section of constant radius, to normallyrestrain said plunger from movement by said spring, and a first camsection having a radius changing -gradually from said constant radiusand followed by a second cam `section changing from said second to saidconstant radius, said roller being structurally related to said firstcam section, to release the same and to thereby gradually propel, duringengagement of said -r-oller with said rst cam section, said plunger by:said spring in the staple-driving direction to a predetermined positionbeyond the periphery of Isaid stapling member, and to retract saidplunger against the action of said spring during engagement of saidroller with said second cam section, and

(f) means to adjust the angular position of said ecentric with a iixedoperating range corresponding to the length `of said rst cam section,thereby to cause varying instantaneous plunger positions during itsforward movement to coincide with the central registry position of saidstapledriving and staple-clinching dies.

6. In rotary stapling apparatus as claimed in claim 5, having astationary frame, said adjusting means including locking means upon saidframe, to adjust and lock said eccentric in the operating positionwithin the .range of said roller engaging a desired point of said camsection coincident with the central registry position of said dies.

7. Rotary stapling apparatus as claimed in claim 5, includingcooperating scale and index means carried by said frame and saideccentric, respectively, to indicate the angular adjusting position ofsaid eccentric.

8. In stapling apparatus as claimed in claim 5, said control eccentrichaving a configuration comprising, in the order named, a firstrelatively large concentric section having a iirst radius, a secondrelatively short cam section having a radius decreasing .gradually yfromsaid first to a predetermined second radius, and a third relativelylarge section -having a radius increasing from said second to said thirdradius.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS GRANVILLE Y.CUSTER, JR., Primary Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR THE STAPLING OF WEBS OF VARYING THICKNESS COMPRISING INCOMBINATION: (1) A ROTARY STAPLING MEMBER HAVING A PERIPHERALSTAPLE-CARRYING DIE, (2) A ROTARY DIE MEMBER HAVING A PERIPHERALSTAPLECLINCHING DIE AND ROTATING IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO AND ABOUT ANAXIS SPACED BY A FIXED DISTANCE FROM AND PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAIDSTAPLING MEMBER, (3) THE WEB TO BE STAPLED PASSING BETWEEN SAID MEMBERS,(4) A STAPLE-DRIVING PLUNGER SLIDABLY MOUNTED UPON SAID STAPLING MEMBERWITH ITS OUTER END SURFACE FORMING THE BOTTOM OF SAID STAPLE CARRYINGDIE, AND (5) OPERATING MEANS TO INTERMITTENTLY PROPEL SAID PLUNGERDURING THE PERIODS OF REGISTRY OF SAID STAPLECARRYING SAIDSTAPLE-CLINCHING DIES COMPRISING: (A) A COMPRESSION SPRING UPON SAIDSTAPLING MEMBER TO URGE SAID PLUNGER IN THE OUTWARD STAPLEDRIVINGDIRECTION, (B) MOTION-TRANSMITTING MECHANISM UPON SAID STAPLING MEMBERINCLUDING A FIRST LEVER ARM ENGAGING SAID PLUNGER AND A SECOND LEVER ARMTERMINATING IN A CAM FOLLOWER, (C) A NORMALLY STATIONARY CONTROLECCENTRIC COAXIAL WITH SAID STAPLING MEMBER AND ENGAGED BY SAIDFOLLOWER,